Is Love really the greatest? (1 Corinthians 13:13)

[spockrates]

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

(1 Corinthians 13:13)

Hi! I’ve been wondering something: Saint Paul tells you and I that love is the greatest, but is he right? You see, I’m not so sure he is. I’m hoping someone can explain why love is greater and what it is greater than. Any thoughts?

 

[ryanoneil]

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

(1 Corinthians 13:13)

Hi! I’ve been wondering something: Saint Paul tells you and I that love is the greatest, but is he right? You see, I’m not so sure he is. I’m hoping someone can explain why love is greater and what it is greater than. Any thoughts?

Love is greater than faith and hope. We won’t have to hope for anything in heaven and we won’t need faith because we be able to see God face to face and we will know. Love will remain though, which is why it is the greatest.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

Another translation of love is charity. To help those in need is the greatest work a human can do, because you are loving your neighbor as yourself.

 

[spockrates]

Love is greater than faith and hope. We won’t have to hope for anything in heaven and we won’t need faith because we be able to see God face to face and we will know. Love will remain though, which is why it is the greatest.

Yes, Ryan, I see what you mean. Faith and Hope won’t remain in heaven. At least, that seems true in the case of Hope, for Paul also asks:

Who hopes for what he already has?

(Romans 8:24)

Since you or I will already have the object of our Hope in eternity, I suppose Hope does not spring eternal!



But what about Faith? Won’t you or I continue to have faith in the eternal life to come?

 

[spockrates]

Another translation of love is charity. To help those in need is the greatest work a human can do, because you are loving your neighbor as yourself.

Christine:

Yes, I can see that. It’s not the receiving kind love as much as it is the giving kind of love. Perhaps Love is not the desire to be loved as much as it is the desire to express love?

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking… .

(1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

 

[Jim_Baur]

Love is the greatest because love is God.

Love is the greatest because it is through love that we inherit eternal life.

Love is the greatest because it is Jesus Who came into the World. God so loved the world that He sent His only Son.

 

[spockrates]

Love is the greatest because love is God.

Love is the greatest because it is through love that we inherit eternal life.

Love is the greatest because it is Jesus Who came into the World. God so loved the world that He sent His only Son.

Hey, Jim. Thanks for replying.

I suppose one might say:

• Faith is greatest because God is the object of our faith.
• Faith is greatest because it is by faith we are saved.
• Faith is greatest because by faith we know that God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son.

How should we respond to such a one?

 

[CHRISTINE77]

Hey, Jim. Thanks for replying.

I suppose one might say:

• Faith is greatest because God is the object of our faith.
• Faith is greatest because it is by faith we are saved.
• Faith is greatest because by faith we know that God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son.

How should we respond to such a one?

I would say they are all extremely important. No use quibbling about it!

 

[spockrates]

I would say they are all extremely important. No use quibbling about it!

No quibbling, here, Christine. Just wonder. I suppose I’m the kind of guy whose got to know.
For wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder.

– Socrates (Theaetetus, 155)

I understand why Hope is better than Love. But I wonder why it is that Faith is greater than Love? Wouldn’t you like to know?

 

[Jim_Baur]

You seem to be making an excellent distinction.

Relatively faith is the greatest in that it begins our spiritual life.

Relatively the wheels are the greatest thing on a car for foward motion.

Absolutel, the engine is the greatest; it makes a car an automobile.

Absolutely, love is the greatest.

Also, love is first in the sense that all other things (faith, love, happiness) come from love. It is not first in the sense of one, two, three.

Love is God, thus greatest.

Love saves us, not faith. The Good Samaritan inherited eternal life becasue he love.

Also, it is His love that gives life to all other things such as faith, hope and happiness.

 

[JRKH]

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

(1 Corinthians 13:13)

Hi! I’ve been wondering something: Saint Paul tells you and I that love is the greatest, but is he right? You see, I’m not so sure he is. I’m hoping someone can explain why love is greater and what it is greater than. Any thoughts?

All one needs to do to confirm Paul’s writing is look at what Jesus Himself tells us in Mt 22

34 But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35 One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, " ** YOU SHALL LOVE** THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' 38 "This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 "The second is like it, **YOU SHALL LOVE **YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’
40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Note that the two Great commandments, upon which ALL of the Law and the Prophets are based tell us to LOVE!!!
St Paul merely echos our Dear Lord in this.

Hope this helps.

Peace
James

 

[spockrates]

You seem to be making an excellent distinction.

I suppose that is due to my following in my mentor’s steps:

I am myself a great lover of these processes of division and generalization, Phaedrus. They help me to speak and think.

(Phaedrus, 266)

Relatively faith is the greatest in that it begins our spiritual life.

Relatively the wheels are the greatest thing on a car for foward motion.

Absolutel, the engine is the greatest; it makes a car an automobile.

Absolutely, love is the greatest.

Also, love is first in the sense that all other things (faith, love, happiness) come from love. It is not first in the sense of one, two, three.

Love is God, thus greatest.

Love saves us, not faith. The Good Samaritan inherited eternal life becasue he love.

Also, it is His love that gives life to all other things such as faith, hope and happiness.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

(Ephesians 2:8-10)

Yes, I agree it is God’s grace (or undeserved Love) that saves us, but is not Paul saying that Faith causes us to receive this grace? Without faith in God, is it possible to receive His grace?

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

(Hebrews 11:6)

One might say that Faith is the cause of Love, and without Faith it is impossible to receive Love. What should you or I say in response?

 

[spockrates]

All one needs to do to confirm Paul’s writing is look at what Jesus Himself tells us in Mt 22

34 But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35 One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, " ** YOU SHALL LOVE** THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' 38 "This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 "The second is like it, **YOU SHALL LOVE **YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’
40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Note that the two Great commandments, upon which ALL of the Law and the Prophets are based tell us to LOVE!!!
St Paul merely echos our Dear Lord in this.

Hope this helps.

Peace
James

Thanks for replying, James. Are you saying that what makes the greatest commandment great is that it commands us to practice the greatest virtue, whom we shall call Love?

 

[Jim_Baur]

St. Paul and the prophets yell: God makes us love.

It is a mystery. I cannot explain that.

An analogy: the DNA, sun, water, soil, temperature, and fertilizer makes a plant grow.

 

[Jim_Baur]

Concerning faith that saves us: it is what faith hears that saves us–LOVE!

God’s Word of Love is announced to us, and we accept His love.

We hear is LOVE/WORD.

 

[Jim_Baur]

Concerning “through grace” or “by grace”: grace includes love. It is love that saves.

Don’t forget: Jesus saved us. Jesus is God’s love sent into the world to save us.

Love saves us!

 

[spockrates]

Concerning “through grace” or “by grace”: grace includes love. It is love that saves.

Don’t forget: Jesus saved us. Jesus is God’s love sent into the world to save us.

Love saves us!

Well, Jim, I suppose it is God’s love that saves me, but my faith that makes it possible to receive that love that saves me. Perhaps whether Love or Faith is greatest depends on what the word greatest means.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

(1 Corinthians 13:13)

Let’s say Paul meant this:

greatest = the one that is most likely to result in receiving God’s love and eternal life

Would you say it is your love for God, or your faith in God’s love, that contributes most to your getting to heaven?

 

[spockrates]

In other words, do you think this

**a. **And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

(1 Corinthians 13:13)

means this?

**b. **And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the [one that is most likely to result in receiving God’s love and eternal life] is love.

(1 Corinthians 13:13)

 

[Jim_Baur]

I believe (I do not know) love is absolutely the greatest!

I believe (I do not know) the Holy Bible is really clear on this!

I have given the most basic Biblical principles that I know.

I rest my case.

In God’s Absolute Beauty, Eternal Love and Infinite Happiness and God Bless,

Jim Baur

 

[JRKH]

Thanks for replying, James. Are you saying that what makes the greatest commandment great is that it commands us to practice the greatest virtue, whom we shall call Love?

I am saying nothing at all… It is Christ Himself who has said it.

In your OP you question Paul’s assertion that Love is the greatest of the virtues. I have merely pointed you to the Lord’s own words which confirm what Paul wrote.

As to how the various features interact, you have to recognize that faith, hope, love, grace, works etc. are all interwoven. I put the following together some time ago, perhaps it will help here.

Belief, Grace, Faith, Love and Works are interwoven pieces. They cannot be separated. They can only be placed in “order”.

1. 
   *]We begin with Grace. Grace is the supernatural foundation. The “seed” that God plants in every soul that enables it to find it’s way back to God.
   *]Then comes Belief. We must believe in something before anything else. If we do not believe in God, then the seed of Grace will not grow.
   *]After Belief comes Faith. The difference between belief and faith, is simply this: I may believe in the existence of banks, but do I have faith in them. Faith gets into trusting and believing in the promises of God and believing in Jesus Christ and salvation through doing the will of the Father. Learning and developing our faith is nurturing and allowing the seed of God’s grace to grow in us.
   *]Then Comes Love. Jesus places Love as the Greatest and center of all of the Law and prophets. What we Love and covet is how we know “where our heart is”. If we Love God and wish to do His will, then we will Love our neighbor unselfishly and wish to act in ways that are pleasing to our love - who is God Himself.
   *]Then comes Works. If we believe properly, that is we have a trusting belief, then works will necessarily follow. If works do not follow then there is a problem with one of the above.
   
   I hope some of this helps you.
   
   Peace
   James